The Marcello C. Senatore, A Curious Wink To The Rolex Daytona That I Want To Get My Hands On

I've said some negative things about Rolex. I think they act really slow, haven't innovated much lately, and play it too safe. Regardless, Rolex has a few powerful classic designs under its belt. The two major ones for me are the Submariner lines, and the Daytona. Speaking of the Daytona, I understand that it is one of the most desirable watches on the planet from a demand standpoint, meaning more people want one, that can get one. Rolex has taken this opportunity to increase the prices dramatically. Meaning you can't really get one for under $10k. Steep.

Well what do you do when you want a something like a Daytona, but can't afford or get one. Sure there are legions of "imitations" that are simple low cost alternatives or play out fakes, but you aren't that type of person? You like the style, but you want something nice you can be proud of on your wrist. For me, this is a totally logical approach to satisfying a need. Others feel that if you can't afford a Rolex, you don't deserve to wear the style. Well let those stop here, and the rest of you can keep reading.

Marcello C. is a great German brand, that I love to talk about. I own four of their watches at the moment, and have been extremely satisfied with my ownership experience. One watch I've been curious about is their Senatore. A Rolex Daytona inspired watch, that certainly has a lot of Marcello C. in it. You'll notice a lot of their limited edition Titanium Tridente diver watch in the Senatore (large 12, and the hands). There is also a wonderfully cohesive look that takes the Daytona style, and moves is a different, dare I say Teutonic, direction. My model of choice is the Marcello C. Senatore 2020.4, made in the color scheme of the Rolex Cosmograph Daytona. The black face with the red trim is snazzy. The tri-compax layout of the chronograph dials, never had a more flattering frame, and the red arrow tipped seconds counter hand for the chronograph fits nicely in place. Marcello C. uses a Valjoux 7750 automatic movement which is about as trusted a movement as you can get.

An interesting thing about the Senatore is bracelet with the wide middle link. I'd love to see how this looks, but I have a feeling it gives the watch a really impressive look on your wrist. The bracelet is 22mm wide, while the case is 42.5mm wide. I am not sure how I feel about the see-through caseback window being mineral glass, but the crystal on the face is sapphire of course. This watch actually represents the most expensive, non-precious metal watch that Marcello C. makes. At a current price of over $3,600, it is several times more than Marcello C. largest seller, the sub $1000 Nettuno 3. You do have to consider the price of a Rolex Daytona too, and the fact that a Marcello C. is a finely made watch, with little comparison.

The Marcello C. Senatore 2020.4 is only sold in Europe, but other Senatore models are offered in the US. I'd love to get my hands on one of these watches, and if I do, you'll hear all about it.

Fueled by an unshakable love for horology and a general curiosity for intricate things, Ariel Adams founded aBlogtoWatch in 2007 as a means of sharing his passion. Since then, ABTW has become the highest trafficked blog on luxury timepieces, and Ariel has become a contributor to other online publications such as Forbes, Departures and Tech Crunch, to name just a few. His conversational writing style and inclusive attitude brings a wider appreciation for watches the world over, and that's just the way he likes it.
Follow me on Google+ Ariel Adams